Pune: A traffic jam on Karve Road, which began at 10 AM, intensified around noon when a VIP was passing through the area. Simultaneously, an e-bus traveling from Kondhwa Gate to Hadapsar (Bhekrai Nagar) stopped at the Maruti Temple bus stop to pick up passengers. Shortly after resuming its journey, smoke began to fill the bus, causing panic among the passengers. The incident occurred around 12:15 PM on Saturday (20th).
The driver quickly pulled the bus to the side of the road, but by then, frightened passengers were already scrambling to get out.
One passenger broke the glass near the door and jumped out, while the panic and screams alerted traffic police at Karishma Chowk, who rushed to the scene. With the help of the driver and conductor, they opened the bus doors, allowing all passengers to safely disembark.
Police Sub-Inspector Karishma Sheikh, along with officers Shobha Desai, Suhas Chormale, Praveen Jadhav, Suraj Sapkal, and Yuvraj Kale, as well as other staff and citizens, assisted in the evacuation.
The chaos and screams were worsened by the large number of passengers on the bus, a common occurrence on the busy Kondhwa Gate to Bhekrai Nagar route.
The bus was crowded when it stopped at Maruti Temple, and as smoke began to spread, passengers feared the bus might catch fire. The e-bus, lacking windows for ventilation or escape, further heightened the panic.
Around 40 to 50 passengers, including young children, elderly individuals, and schoolchildren, were on board. The overcrowding led to a chaotic scramble. One person used a nearby hammer to break a window and escape.
Once the bus doors were opened, other passengers exited. Children suffered from breathing difficulties due to the smoke and the commotion.
